Rain tax to hit charities and churches

Charities and faith groups are bracing themselves for a huge increase in water surface drainage charges.

United Utilities still plan to go ahead with the so-called 'rain tax' after they suspended plans to introduce the charge earlier this year. 

Paul Rowen MP said: “It is simply unacceptable that organisations which contributed hugely to our community are having their very existence threatened by this charge. These new rules mean that churches - which often have large roofs - will find themselves being charged substantially more than shops and other profit-making premises. The Government needs to legislate to introduce social tariffs for ‘Rain Tax’ before the consequences are felt by those who can least afford it."

Father Paul Daly, of St Joseph's Church in Heywood, said the 'rain tax' could have a crippling affect on the voluntary sector. "This would see the water charges for voluntary groups such as the scouts and guides, and the faith sector, including mosques and churches, quadruple," he said.

"The paradox is that the charge is payable for water falling on roofs and on concreted and paved areas but not on grass. If every church and mosque turned their car parks into fields they would pay much less but the parking on the highways would be much worse. We are being taxed for having our own car parks.

"The voluntary sector makes a great contribution to civic life and to the strength of local communities. United Utilities are not in the least bothered about supporting this. Once again they are putting profit before principles.

"Pope Benedict recently wrote: " Economic activity cannot solve all social problems through the simple application of commercial logic. This needs to be directed towards the pursuit of the common good." and "every economic decision has a moral consequence." I hope the managers of Unitied Utilities and its shareholders, as well as the Government, take note."

Littleborough Councillor Pauline Maguire, who is a Beaver Scout leader at the 29th A Rochdale (Starring) Scouts Group, said: “We are literally going to be taxed through the roof with this new policy. The rain tax will see our water rates go up by around 1400% - costing us hundreds of pounds extra each year on top of the upkeep of the building. Unfortunately this could result in us having to cover the costs by increasing the subscriptions that our children pay which is simply not fair. This tax will therefore not only affect local organisations directly but also families too."